River Crossing Near Miss Leads to Safety Rethink

24th September 2026|3 min

It was meant to be just another solo trip for Mark, walking the expert Moraine Creek Route in Fiordland National Park. A life-long tramper, Mark had tramped since childhood and as an adult had been solo tramping for more than 10 years. After camping overnight at Lake Adelaide, he was heading back to his car on Hollyford Road when a close call while crossing a stream made him examine his approach to river safety.

Mark was four hours into a 10-hour day when he reached the stream crossing. Following a night of rain, the stream was obviously swollen but several factors influenced his decision to attempt the crossing.

I think I’d become over-confident after years of solo river crossing. I’d jumped across the same stream about 1 km upstream with no issues, and I was feeling impatient to get back to my car and out of the rain

– says Mark.

The safest way to cross a river on your own is to use a sturdy pole to provide stability as you find secure footing. Mark attempted to boulder-hop. He misjudged the distance between rocks, stepped into the main current, was swept off his feet and went under. The current carried him about 5 metres downstream before he was able to scramble to the bank and climb out.

“I had a few things going through my head at the time, including ‘That gap was a lot further than I thought. That waters pretty strong. I hope I get out before I’m swept into rocks or further downstream to the waterfall’.”

Back on dry land, Mark regained his composure and took stock of the damage. He had lost his watch but was fortunate to have escaped injury – or worse.

After changing into dry clothes, he was able to continue back to his car. But it was a defining moment.

“Sitting on the bank and then on the way back to the car, I had some major realisations,” says Mark. “I realised that I had become over-confident and allowed some bad habits to develop, leading to unacceptable risks. I needed to be a lot more cautious in my decision-making when I’m tramping solo. I also realised that it’s good to question your skillsets and abilities and sometimes retrain.”

Shortly after the incident, Mark took a river crossing refresher course.

“This time, I approached it with a fresh perspective, fully aware of my bad habits.”

Mark’s key river safety learnings

  • Even small streams can be life-threatening
  • If in doubt, stay out
  • Think about what’s driving your decision
  • There’s no harm in back-tracking
  • Overconfidence can be dangerous.

PHOTO CREDIT | Mark | Moraine Creek Route Hills

River Safety Personal Stories

Last edited: September 2026